ImageMark relocates to fit growing needs

Published: Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 05:15 PM.

ImageMark Business Services Inc. is settling into a new space with its latest move to a former textile mill.

Chief Financial Officer Greg Sellers says the former RadiciSpandex building, visible from Interstate 85, made a perfect location for ImageMark to expand on what they are doing.

“The old mill was built in the ’60s and updated in the ’80s, which made it easier to remodel since it was not as old as some of the other mills in the county,” said Sellers.

ImageMark produces personalized printed products and serves as a marketing resource for its clients.

In the building the company is vacating, the former Wagner Knitting Mill in Lowell where operations moved in 2010, ImageMark had more than an acre under its roof. It was filled with digital and traditional presses, a high-tech creative department and space where employees assembled specialized marketing kits.

President Walter Payne says that not only is the new location larger but it also leaves more room for ImageMark to grow.

“The building itself is bigger than the old location but we also have 10 acres that we can expand on,” Payne said.

ImageMark Business Services Inc. is settling into a new space with its latest move to a former textile mill.

Chief Financial Officer Greg Sellers says the former RadiciSpandex building, visible from Interstate 85, made a perfect location for ImageMark to expand on what they are doing.

“The old mill was built in the ’60s and updated in the ’80s, which made it easier to remodel since it was not as old as some of the other mills in the county,” said Sellers.

ImageMark produces personalized printed products and serves as a marketing resource for its clients.

In the building the company is vacating, the former Wagner Knitting Mill in Lowell where operations moved in 2010, ImageMark had more than an acre under its roof. It was filled with digital and traditional presses, a high-tech creative department and space where employees assembled specialized marketing kits.

President Walter Payne says that not only is the new location larger but it also leaves more room for ImageMark to grow.

“The building itself is bigger than the old location but we also have 10 acres that we can expand on,” Payne said.

Old building, new life

Forsite Development of Charlotte bought one of two RadiciSpandex buildings on Northwest Boulevard late last year.

RadiciSpandex had consolidated operations, corporate offices and its warehouse into a building at the back of the property, leaving its former headquarters, about 84,000 square feet, vacant.

Updating the space, Forsite made it available to a new tenant.

Gastonia was lucky that Forsite head Tom McKittrick, saw potential in the empty space, said Donny Hicks, executive director of the Gaston County Economic Development Commission.

Existing buildings are important in recruiting new industry, according to Hicks.

Most corporations looking to expand or relocate want standing buildings. It’s less expensive to move in than to build from scratch, and financing for new construction remains a struggle in the economic recovery, Hicks says.

The caveat: An existing building is a valuable commodity only if the space is modern enough to meet the needs of today’s companies.

Forsite was able to bring the former RadiciSpandex space up to date and make it suitable for a new tenant, Hicks said.

“The move has gone smoothly,” she said, “considering that we had to transport our entire product and remodel the place. It has only taken two months.”

Payne says ImageMark’s success is due to the company having the best of both worlds.

“At ImageMark we can serve Fortune 500 companies and small businesses,” he said. “We have high quality old equipment but we also have some of the most advanced technology in the country.”

ImageMark’s success could mean new jobs for Gaston County. Kaufman says the company is planning to create 10 to 15 positions in the future.

Payne is also excited about advancements for ImageMark.

“In the next month we will be getting some new technology that will be the only like it in the area,” he said. “We are not going to announce any names as of right now but the technology is groundbreaking.”